How to Reverse Road Direction in Cities Skylines 2

Learn the benefits of managing traffic flow!

by J.R. Waugh
How to Reverse Road Direction in Cities Skylines 2
Image: Attack of the Fanboy

When directing traffic flow in Cities: Skylines 2, you’ll quickly discover that sometimes it’s better to reverse the road direction when possible. Sometimes, a one-way street serves a more efficient purpose than a two-way street.

This isn’t to say you should be overzealous with restructuring your traffic system in the game, but sometimes it’s good to check what works best in the game. It can help get your citizens to where they need to go more quickly, which can make them happier!

Cities: Skylines 2 Traffic Guide: How to Reverse Road Direction

To reverse your road direction, select ‘Roads’ on the UI, choose your preferred road, and then build on an existing road, dragging your cursor along the opposite direction of the arrows. This simply replaces your current road, and it’s an instantaneous fix. It’s, nice, especially if you’re correcting a prior mistake while building your city.

How-to-Reverse-Road-Direction-in-Cities-Skylines-2-Editor
Image: Attack of the Fanboy

Related: Cities Skylines 2 Money Making Guide: How to Become Cash Flow Positive

However, I’ll issue one warning with this: make these changes wisely. You can potentially open a can of worms or accidentally create a dead end out of even the busiest of districts and constrict traffic quickly, so look ahead while planning. Bad traffic directly affects civilian happiness, which can be bad news if left unchecked.

Why Should You Change Street Directions in Cities Skylines 2?

Much like in real-life urban planning, setting a certain road direction can save a lot of traffic congestion, such as for busy central areas of the city, or tourist destinations. A one-way street grid can help maintain a traffic flow as opposed to everybody intersecting at all times, and it can also reduce accidents. Similar reasoning went into building real-life iconic cities like New York City, so chances are, they had the right idea.

Consider the Road Services tab under the Roads menu to add things like traffic lights and turning signs, as well.

- This article was updated on October 30th, 2023

About The Author

J.R. is a Staff Writer with AOTF and has been covering gaming and entertainment in the industry since 2022. Along with a B.A. in History from the University of Cincinnati, he has studied at the University of Birmingham, UK, and part of his M.A. at the University of Waterloo. You'll find J.R. particularly at home writing about the hottest manga and anime. He is highly passionate about horror, strategy, and RPGs, and anything about Star Trek or LOTR. When not ranting about fan theories or writing guides, J.R. is streaming his favorite RPGs and other forgotten gems.